


I Belong in Your Arms

by thedeadflag



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Romance, Tropes, Tropes Everywhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-16 22:48:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8120536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedeadflag/pseuds/thedeadflag
Summary: A number of families in Polis win a moderate lottery prize and spend it on a collective vacation, leading to Lexa, her best friend Anya, and Clarke sharing Lexa's home for a week with her Uncle Gustus supervising. Clarke finds herself nervous, having long held crushes for both girls, but it seems Lexa and Anya have their own secrets and surprisesA modern HSAU crack fic, I apologize for the mess





	

It was ridiculous. Almost too ridiculous for her to even process, but with a week to go until spring break, Clarke's parents were heading down south on a vacation with a number of other parents in the neighbourhood who had inexplicably won a moderate amount of money in the lottery. To celebrate, the group of them chose to take a week off and celebrate down in Mexico.

Leaving Clarke home alone, or at least she would have been if not for her meddling parents. No, the Woods family had an Uncle minding the house while they were gone, and so Clarke's mom had asked if they would be okay taking in a guest for the week.

It was ridiculous. She was finishing her senior year, and was old enough to be home alone, but for whatever reason, her parents didn't trust her. So instead, she'd be sleeping over at someone's home for the first time since before her family moved to town four years back.

Thankfully, it wasn't a complete nightmare. She at least knew Lexa Woods, even if their brief friendship had ended with Lexa betraying her by breaking her promise to join drama club, instead joining the soccer team.

Newly teenaged Clarke had seen it as a much bigger deal than it really was. Many of Lexa's other friends, including her best friend Anya, went out for the soccer team, and none were in the drama club besides Clarke. Both clubs had conflicting schedules, so it made sense that Lexa had to choose. She'd chosen her people.

Didn't change that they'd never really gotten around to reconciling, though, and had barely spoken since. Of course, that didn't keep Clarke from keeping an eye on Lexa, and Anya by extension given the two were attached at the hip. It certainly didn't keep her from developing teeny tiny crushes.

So it wasn't a complete nightmare. Just a dangerous one.

Clarke wheeled her suitcase up the walkway to the Woods home's front door, knowing it was a bit fruitless to pack when she could head back home to grab whatever she needed anyways, but it seemed a bit tedious to shuttle back and forth between home and Lexa's when she could just bring the necessities and hope it'd be enough.

She always remembered Lexa's house as an intimidating place, all high ceilings and minimalist design. It came off as a bit of a harsh, unwelcoming environment, but once upon a time, she'd helped Lexa paint her room to make it more 'her'.

Clarke wondered, as she pressed the door bell, if Lexa had made any changes since.

By the thudding footsteps that preceded the door opening, she could tell it wasn't Lexa that'd be greeting her. When the door swung open, she was met with the sight of an absolute bear of a man, who thankfully broke out into a broad smile once his gaze met hers.

"You must be Clarke, Abby and Jake's daughter." The man noted loudly, seeming as if maybe he didn't have much of an indoor voice.

Clarke held out a hand, the man immediately taking hold of it and squeezing a bit harder than was probably necessary. "You must be Gustus, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Come in, come in. Why don't I take your suitcase up to the guest room while you join the girls in the living room?" Gustus asked, grabbing her luggage and marching off with it, apparently excited to get her settled in.

 _Guess I just have to bite the bullet on my own..._ Clarke thought to herself as she hung up her trench in the closet and took off her boots, knowing she'd be facing Lexa and at least the girl's best friend if Lexa wasn't alone. With a deep breath, Clarke headed down the hall, past the stairs and the open concept kitchen to the living room, quickly spotting Lexa and Anya on the couch, laughing about something or other.

The two girls had, for all the time Clarke had known of them, a peculiar dynamic. They stood closer than most friends would, they stared longer than most friends would, their touches had a tendency to linger, and there was always a different shine in their eyes when they looked each other's way. To the world, they were best friends, but Clarke had long wondered if the duo were more than that. The warmth and mirth in Anya's eyes as she laughed with Lexa was something she'd only ever seen directed at her former friend, for instance. There was something to be said for that.

Anya was the first to spot her, posture stiffening just a little bit as the other blonde prodded at Lexa to get her attention.

"Hey..." Clarke let out sheepishly, suddenly unsure how to handle crashing whatever Sunday night festivities the other girls had planned.

Lexa smoothly looked over her shoulder, all calm and stoic as always, whatever humour she'd been taking part in now long gone. "Clarke, come sit down. We were wondering when you'd arrive."

"More like Lexa was desperately waiting for you to get here before we ordered pizza." Anya corrected with amusement as she sat up straight as a rod, giving Lexa another slight push, making her host huff in annoyance.

Thankfully, it was enough of a distraction and ice breaker for Clarke to settle in on the loveseat adjacent to them, which in turn had the duo on the couch settling back in and relaxing. "You didn't have to wait for me. I was going to offer to buy us some takeout since you're kind enough to let me stay here."

Lexa rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a grin on her lips. "More like our parents conspired and imprisoned us here for the week, with Uncle Gus as our jailer. I negotiated with them, and they agreed that the least they could do was pay for our meals in their absence. We decided to go grocery shopping tomorrow, but tonight, we'd order in."

Clarke smiled at that, happy that they had a plan and wouldn't have to worry about food. Besides, being able to go shopping would give her the chance to maybe cook something for dinner one night. It could be fun.

Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be a complete disaster. Neither girl was treating her anywhere near hostile; heck, the way they were looking at her almost seemed like they were happy she'd joined them.

It was a nice surprise, and Clarke was willing to roll with it.

"So, what were you two thinking for the pizza toppings?"

* * *

 

Clarke considered the evening a rousing success, for the most part. Dinner had gone smoothly, her suggestion of pepperoni-pineapple being greatly enjoyed by Lexa, while Anya was pleased to have a cheese pizza all to herself. After that, they'd settled in for a mini-marathon of Daredevil, knowing they'd never finish that evening, but hopefully they could manage the series within the week. Every hour that passed, the closer she felt to the other two, but especially Lexa, who began talking to her more and more as the night went on.

It was only when she got up to make some popcorn that she realized Anya hadn't spoken in a good forty minutes, and was looking a little stiff and uncomfortable on the far side of the couch.

Thankfully, while she was waiting for the popcorn, Lexa came in to refill her glass of water.

"Hey...can I talk to you for a sec?" She asked, immediately earning her host's attention. Lexa finished filling her glass and then leaning up against the counter, offering a nod. "I'm...while I didn't get the choice on staying here, I'm happy I am. We used to be friends, and I'd like to maybe try and get that back, if you're interested?"

Lexa's eyes widened, jaw dropping slightly before the girl broke into a smile. "I'd like that, Clarke."

She hadn't expected the magnitude of the relief she was suddenly overcome with, but it was something she decided to embrace, happy to have her friend back, happy to hopefully finish the year off on a higher note than she'd expected.

Still, there was one thing worrying her. "And, uh...just one more thing. Is Anya okay?"

Lexa's features twisted with confusion for a moment, before realization set in. "Oh, she's just adjusting. It's easy with small talk and brief encounters for her, but it takes her a bit to feel comfortable expressing herself around someone new. It's nothing personal."

Clarke nodded, having known to some extent that Anya had a very small group of friends, so perhaps she should have seen it coming. Still, she wanted Anya to trust her. She wanted Anya to feel comfortable, because the girl was only uncomfortable due to her presence.

She wanted Anya to feel as included and safe as they'd made her feel. So when the popcorn finished up, Clarke poured a large bowl and scurried off to the living room with it. Like a guided missile, she rounded into the living room, bypassing the loveseat she'd been settled into all night, and instead plopped down right beside Anya.

"Hey, is it okay if I sit here?" She asked, wanting to check, just realizing that maybe sitting so close would be in itself breaching the girl's boundaries.

To her relief, Anya gave a nod and took a handful of popcorn. Her expression didn't seem to change, but in the dark, it was hard to tell. Still, it felt nice being close.

Lexa came back a moment or two after and went to sit on the other side of the couch, for whatever reason. Clarke rolled her eyes and patted the spot beside her. "Both of you have black holes for stomachs, sit close and have some popcorn. I don't bite."

Lexa shot her a thoughtful look for a moment before shrugging and settling down. It was Anya's voice that surprised her, bringing her attention back to the other blonde. "Not even when you played the dragon in that play back in the fall?"

Clarke wasn't sure whether to be astonished that the girl saw that bi-weekly skit, or that she remembered it enough to recall her role. "So _maybe_ then, but I was a misunderstood dragon _rescuing princesses_ and defending myself against _knights_."

"Well, fortune has it that neither of us are knights." Lexa piped up with a small laugh.

"No, but last I checked, you earned the nickname 'The Commander'..." Clarke noted, shooting Lexa a glance before returning her focus to Anya, hoping that the other blonde was starting to feel more included and safer. "...and they call you 'The General'. Maybe I'll keep my options open."

It was a remark she meant to simply be a joke, maybe the slight bit teasing. All she got in return was silence, and both girls staring intently, if not intensely, at the screen. For whatever it was worth, Matt Murdock was fighting someone, and she couldn't begrudge them pushing their attention to the wonderful choreography.

The rest of the episode passed, and then another, before they decided to pack it in. Lexa volunteered to shower first, her and Anya's bedrooms apparently sharing an ensuite. That, for better or worse, left Clarke alone on the couch with Anya, who was tense once more and whose attention seemed to be anywhere but her.

"So...I guess I should get ready for bed, too." Clarke murmured, unsure why the other girl had returned to being all stiff and silent again after being more relaxed over the past two hours.

Anya practically jumped to her feet. "I'll show you to your room."

Clarke wasn't so sure about Anya's behaviour, but the girl had always been polite in their brief interactions in the past. Clarke hoped that Anya didn't just want to get rid of her, and had been humoring Lexa all night.

She followed Anya upstairs and down the hall to the last door, where the other girl spun on her heel and silently opened the door, eyes focusing on a painting on the wall.

It was all a bit strange, and Clarke wanted the quietly vibrant girl she'd spent the evening back with her. "Anya, can I say something?"

The other blonde nodded, but didn't bring her gaze to meet Clarke's. She'd honestly consider it rude if the slight reddening of the girl's features wasn't so perplexing.

"I used to be friends with Lexa, and I'm happy she's willing to try and be friends with me again. The two of us never got that chance." Clarke stated, watching Anya carefully, feeling concerned as the other girl's lips curled into the slightest of frowns. "I want to fix that."

Those five words brought Anya's attention squarely on her, those warm brown eyes gauging her sincerity immediately by how confused and wary she seemed. "Fix what?"

"I want to be your friend. I want to wave at you in the halls and maybe get a smile back." Clarke continued, grinning at Anya rolling her eyes and letting out a clearly amused huff. "I want to hang out like we did tonight where both of us can relax completely. I want to be able to talk with you about anything and earn more personal bits as we go on."

"You want a lot of things." Anya answered after a few seconds and a hard swallow. Clarke wasn't sure she'd ever seen Anya nervous, but this might have been the closest she'd come to witnessing that.

"I do. I'm also stubborn and relentless." Clarke asserted as she tugged Anya into a hug. The other girl froze for a half second before returning the embrace, arms wrapping tightly around her, leaving Clarke breathless and blushing. Honestly, Clarke meant to give a brief hug, but was entirely happy to prolong it, only letting go and stepping back after Anya eventually did. "Good night, Anya."

Anya's eyes were wide, head ducked slightly as she nodded. "Sleep well, Clarke." The other girl said before walking off down the hall, her pace a little faster than usual.

 _She's a little weird, but I think I'm gonna like her..._ Clarke mused to herself before heading into the guest room. It only took a few moments to grab her toiletry bag and head into the bathroom across the hall to clean up for the night.

It still felt a little weird sleeping over and all, but Clarke hoped she could make it work. Being around Lexa and Anya all week could really fast-track their friendships, and that was something Clarke found herself yearning for. Even if she might want more, friendship was realistic, and right in front of her; she had to focus on that.

With any luck, they'd be close sooner than later.

* * *

 

It was the slight creak of the door, and a faint thud, that pulled Clarke out of her slumber. Cursing herself for being such a light sleeper, she sat up, imagining that a draft or something must have pushed the door closed. She'd always left hers open, it helped her sleep.

Instead of seeing a closed door, Clarke got an eyeful of Anya; the weather was just starting to turn warmer, but apparently Anya didn't mind the chill, wearing shorts and a crop top that barely covered anything.  In addition, the girl looked entirely confused.

"Anya, is everything okay?" She asked warily, unsure why her newest friend had entered her guest room at, after a glance at the alarm clock, just after one in the morning.

Her voice caught Anya's attention even if the girl looked entirely out of it, the blonde letting out a faint sigh and a soft smile before walking over to her bed and getting under the covers. Clarke's eyes went wide, her throat filling with protests as her heart filled with hope, but from up close it only took a few moments to realize that Anya wasn't awake at all.

She'd sleepwalked over.

Clarke hadn't imagined the first time she'd share her bed with another girl as an adult would be after her newest friend sleepwalked in and made herself at home, but she supposed it wasn't the worst thing to happen. Her bed was queen-sized, and offered the both of them plenty of room.

It was the faint sound of footsteps in the hall that had Clarke biting her tongue, remembering years ago when Lexa would regale her with the mysteries of how she kept waking up in the middle of the gazebo in the backyard most summers.

"Oh my god, this is ridiculous..." Clarke murmured, flopping back down onto the bed as soon as Lexa appeared in the doorway, with unfocused eyes and a cute pout on her lips.

A grumble from beside her had a laugh bubbling out of her, because of course Anya would complain about the noise after stealing into her bed in the middle of the night. Clarke just laughed to herself as she listened to Lexa stepping closer, walking to the other side of the bed and slipping under the covers.

Two people could sleep comfortably on a queen with plenty of space for each of them. Three was a slightly different matter.

Still, if there was one bright spot in the ridiculousness of it all, it was that Clarke was always running a bit cold, and having two warm bodies nearby would keep her warm and cozy all night, which meant she'd most likely not have a restless sleep.

Clarke shifted over in bed to make room for Lexa, shifting even more into the middle of the bed when Lexa followed. Before she knew it, Anya and Lexa had closed the distance and curled up along each side of her. _Well, so much for everyone having space..._ Clarke thought to herself as she turned onto her side, deciding to just go with it and sleep. It _was_ just one night, after all.

Slowly, careful not to disturb or startle the other two girls, Clarke turned her back to Lexa, feeling her heart flutter a bit when her friend's arm immediately slung around her waist. Never in her life had she been spooned, but it felt nice, safe. And so when Anya's lips formed a frown, the girl shuffling down on the bed in search of the body she'd been curled up in, Clarke helped her out. Carefully, she took hold of the thinner pillow of the two Anya's head had been resting on, and guided Anya down until her head was nestled against her collarbone, pillow cushioning her head, arm gently lung across Clarke's hip.

Together, they were an odd jumble of limbs, but she was warm and sleepy and comfortable, so Clarke resigned herself to maybe talking to the girls about it tomorrow. Maybe.

In the meantime, Clarke let herself be wrapped up in them as she drifted off.

* * *

 

When Clarke woke again, it was morning, and Anya's quiet cursing was filling the room. She could feel the sharp words washing against her chest in hot puffs. She could feel Anya carefully extracting herself, spinning away entirely once she was clear, moving to sit at the side of the bed.

"Goddamn it..." Anya let out quietly as she slumped forward, shoulders starting to shake. "Fucking _why_?" The girl's words came out all cracked and splintered, Anya lifting a hand to her face before rushing off, hand covering her eyes.

Clarke felt entirely helpless, not knowing at all what was distressing her newest friend, and not wanting to reach out until she had a better idea. Unfortunately, Anya rushing out had been loud enough for Lexa to stir. Clarke closed her eyes and decided to just let the chips fall for now.

"Whuh? What's...oh _shit_. Shit shit shit shit shit..." Lexa cursed softly, quickly shifting away from Clarke and getting out of bed. "Oh my g...oh no, Anya..."

Clarke's brow furrowed, unsure what Lexa had meant about Anya, almost curious enough to ask, but Lexa was swiftly rushing out of her room.

She looked at the alarm clock and saw it was about ten minutes until she had to get up, anyways. Letting out a sigh, she pulled the covers up and around her, not wanting to lose the heat that her friends had provided.

Still, eventually her alarm went off and she forced herself out of bed, knowing that school would wait for no one. And if the loud thumping sounds were any indication, Gustus was awake and would see the three of them off no matter what.

Clarke yawned as she searched her luggage for something to wear, settling on some jeans and her favourite oversized sweater after having noticed the chill in the air after leaving the bed. It'd probably be another cool day. _Poor Lexa and Anya have a practice today, too...maybe I should count myself lucky that the annual play finished up last week, so I don't have drama club anymore..._

She couldn't help but smile at the wonderful aromas as she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen, leaning up against the fridge as Gustus and Lexa worked on breakfast, Gus manning the stovetop with pancakes and bacon, while Lexa chopped fruit and topped the pancakes that were finished with what looked to be a blueberry sauce.

Anya, in turn, sat at the island eating a bowl of cereal, head ducked and eyes glaring at her food. It seemed whatever happened in the past dozen or so minutes, Anya's mood had only grown more foul.

"Clarke, you're up! Would you like some pancakes?" Gustus asked with a broad smile.

"I'd love some, thanks." She answered, taking a seat beside her dejected friend. "Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd be able to get out of bed with how comfy I was."

Anya went stiff as rebar beside her, and Lexa dropped her knife on the cutting board. Honestly, if she hadn't been aware of what went on last night, she would have been deeply suspicious.

"Ah, you slept well, then?" Gustus asked, ferrying over a plate of pancakes and bacon for her.

"Incredibly. You have to let me know what sheets and blankets those were, because they were so warm. I usually get restless and wake up in the middle of the night from being cold, but not last night. Even my feet were warm!" Clarke exclaimed happily, entirely content to test the waters while letting both girls know that she'd slept very well. At the moment, she couldn't tell what had upset either girl about waking up in bed with her, so she figured she'd check off some possibilities.

Judging by the reactions it didn't seem as if they were upset about intruding on her, or disrupting her sleep, or at least not as much as for other reasons.

It had Clarke curious, really.

She looked back towards Anya and noticed the girl had stopped eating, and was just staring at her cereal. "Fruity Pebbles. I haven't had those in years."

"They're Anya's comfort food." Lexa noted absently, spinning around when said girl's spoon clattered to the counter."I apologize, I'm sorry that slipped."

Anya's glare didn't weaken, but the girl did give a small nod, jaw clenching. "It's fine."

"Everyone deserves some comfort when they need it, no questions asked. Food's as good as any." Clarke said before digging into her pancakes, letting out a happy moan at the richness of the blueberry sauce. "This is so good."

Lexa rounded the kitchen island and sat down at the breakfast bar beside her with her own plate of food. "I'm glad you still appreciate breakfast."

"Hard to fault you for saying it's your favourite meal of the day when it tastes like this." Clarke added as she went to take another bite.

As they all ate, Clarke occasionally checked on the other two girls. Both were tenser than they were the previous night, but Lexa, at least, was growing more relaxed. Anya, not so much.

So when Gustus called on Lexa and Anya to help with dishes, Clarke went about a tiny little plan to hopefully help. At the very least, even if it didn't give her more insight, it might help lighten the mood.

* * *

 

When the lunch bell rang, Lexa swore she'd never felt so relieved. She'd had one quiz and one test already, and combined with the morning's turn of events, she just wanted to relax. Especially knowing she'd have a full practice after classes and wouldn't just get to go home and flop onto her bed for a nap.

Not that she hadn't slept well. Honestly, she'd slept tremendously well, but that was beside the point. Any restfulness gained from sleep had drained away when she realized that she'd spent the night in Clarke's bed. And that Anya had been there as well.

Anya being upset and giving her the silent treatment all morning had only added to her strain. She'd long been able to separate her head from her heart, but between the tests and the emotional exhaustion, Lexa was about ready to keel over for the rest of the day.

"Hey, you look wiped." She heard Clarke call out, the blonde stepping up to Lexa's locker.

"Thanks, I'm flattered." Lexa mumbled as she opened her locker and packed her lunch into her book bag.

"You know what I mean. You're beautiful, but you look exhausted. You've been a bit off since this morning." Clarke added, and despite the girl's casual delivery, Lexa's heart felt full to bursting at the compliment.

Beautiful. Clarke Griffin thought she was beautiful.

If her day ended now, it'd be a roaring success just from that. "Yes, well...it's complicated, Clarke." She answered, wishing she could be outwardly joyful, but she'd made a promise. 

And Lexa Woods was as good as her word, if nothing else. Had been since the decision to join the soccer team instead of drama.

"Nothing's so complicated that some good conversation and some chocolate can't fix." Clarke noted, holding up a plastic bag filled with what looked to be chocolate covered almonds.

"Are you bribing me, Clarke?" Lexa asked, unable to hold back a smile at the girl's thoughtfulness, somehow acquiring her favourite treat for her.

"I'm not above giving gifts to friends when they seem in need of a break." Clarke said, shooting her a kind smile that obliterated nearly all of her defenses. Clarke Griffin was dangerous, but her friendship was worth everything. "Come on, you don't have to tell me everything. I just want you to feel better."

Lexa nodded and led Clarke down the hall and out to the bleachers, taking seats up near the top. She pulled out her lunch and started in on her salad, wanting to delay their talk until she had some idea of what to say.

Because really, it had everything to do with her entire friendship with Anya. It had to do with her new friendship with Clarke. It had to do with how she and Anya woke up that morning.

So it was a little hard to break down into digestible pieces. Certainly ones that wouldn't reveal what she wasn't privy to talk about.

"Anya and I have been friends since we were toddlers. I know her as well as anyone, and she knows me." Lexa started after finishing off her salad and some chopped peach chunks. "We've never been able to keep much from each other. We've never wanted to."

"She's your best friend. You two have always been attached at the hip from what I understand." Clarke added, drawing a nod, even if Clarke's words still managed to understate the truth.

"Anya was upset this morning and she wouldn't talk to me." Lexa continued, swallowing hard as emotions from the morning swirled inside her, all that guilt and confusion and hurt putting a crushing weight on her heart. "She's only been like this twice before, and every time, she's taken over a week to come back to me. Those times...the time I knew what was wrong was easier, but the time I didn't...I still don't know what it was about. I can't tell if I'll ever cause it again."

The gentle weight of Clarke's hand on her own lifted her spirits, if just a little. It was hard to be happy when she was talking about how upset Anya was. "You're scared of losing her. You miss her." Clarke stated, putting her fear out into the open, making it blatant. Lexa wished it made her feel lighter or better, but instead she found herself blinking back tears. "Do you have an idea of what happened?"

Lexa nodded as she worked to recompose herself. "To a degree, yeah. But it's like having half the puzzle pieces. It's hard to pinpoint what's wrong."

"Well, let's go back to the start and figure it out, okay? You don't have to tell me anything secret, but you two seemed perfectly fine before I arrived, so why don't we start there?" Clarke asked, and for a moment Lexa wished the blonde wasn't as observant as she had a tendency to be. Just for a moment. "I mean, not a lot changed between then and now, and I'm one of those things, so let's start there."

"Clarke, it's not your fault. Anya doesn't have a problem with you." Lexa insisted, if only because it was true, and vague enough to avoid details.

"Maybe in an ideal world she doesn't, but just...I want to run something by you. It's not something I think is the case, but it's something I want you to consider as a possibility, if just to entertain me, okay?" Clarke asked, clearly having concocted some idea in her mind. Clarke had always been stubborn, it did no good to fight the blonde on something when she could just give the girl space to air it out and let it go.

Lexa let out a sigh as she sat back against the railing. "I'm all ears."

"Our parents win some money and set out on a week-long trip. They have Gustus house-sit, but he's not really the kind to keep an eye on you. He trusts you already and lets you do your thing. Anya's parents have her sleep over with you for the week they're gone. You're best friends, after all. It only makes sense. Take me out of the picture, and you two have essentially a week all to yourselves for probably the first time in ages, if I remember how watchful your mom and dad were." Clarke relayed, setting the stage quite accurately. It had been literally over three years since they'd had more than a single day together that wasn't some way supervised by either of their parents.

"Now add me into the mix, and I'm unfamiliar. I destabilize your dynamic with Anya. I eat up your one-on-one time. I can tell Anya doesn't dislike me...I think she's actually good with me, and does want to be my friend, like we agreed on last night. But consider this..." Clarke continued, taking a deep breath and shifting her gaze to the field. "I arrive, and Anya gets all stiff and tense...until I sit on the loveseat, away from you two. She's relaxed through dinner until we get to talking more and more, and then suddenly she's back to being all tense and silent again."

"I told you, she just needed to adjust." Lexa interjected, cocking an eyebrow at her friend for retreading over something they'd already covered.

"And that might just be the case. And I really thought it was. But when I sat down with her, she seemed confused about why I was sitting with her. And while she relaxed for the rest of the time we three sat on the couch together, I did catch her stealing glances your way, as if she missed sitting with you." Clarke clarified, or at least tried to, since the blonde wasn't making much sense.

"You just said that we were sitting together. Anya can't miss me if I'm sitting there with her." Lexa stated with a roll of her eyes, growing slightly more annoyed with Clarke's pet theory.

"She can if she wanted to sit with you, _alone_. When you left to take a shower, she went right back to being all tense and uncomfortable. I'd spent the night literally having physically come between you two. Then when I say I should pack it in, she couldn't get me to my room fast enough. I know you and Anya's bedrooms share a bathroom, you're literally next door. I was all the way down the hall." Clarke continued, the point of her friend's theorizing becoming clearer and clearer.

And honestly, if Clarke was right, Lexa would have the easiest fix in the world available to her. The only problem was that she knew Clarke wasn't right. "You think Anya was jealous." Lexa voiced, the words feeling sour on her tongue. Anya wasn't jealous, at least not of Clarke.

Clarke nodded. "I think she cares so much for you, and I think something about me scared her, and she clammed up because how could she talk to you about it? When you seemed happy to have me back as a friend? She might be feeling territorial, jealous, and who knows how she feels about maybe having those feelings? For a really long time, you've been her best friend. You've been _hers_. Once upon a time, you almost chose joining drama club for me, over joining soccer with her and the rest of your friends."

"I'll consider that. But Clarke...I'm pretty sure she's not jealous of you getting between us, or feeling territorial of me. Any other theories?" Lexa asked, dipping into the chocolate-covered almonds.

"Well, if it's not me, then the only thing I could think of would be your sleepwalking." Clarke noted, the final word nearly causing Lexa to choke on the treat. She could have sworn she'd only ever talked about it once or twice with Clarke in the past. There was no reason for the blonde to remember. Not unless Clarke was aware of what happened last night.

"Sleepwalking?" Lexa asked with a level of manufactured confusion she hoped wasn't suspicious, wanting to gauge Clarke's understanding of that habit of hers.

"I remember you telling me you sleepwalk a lot. I know when people do, a lot of the time, they find themselves heading to another person or a familiar place. Like, my aunt sleepwalks. Before my uncle got his sleep apnea machine, he'd snore like a bear, and she'd sleep in the guest room. But a lot of mornings, she'd wake up back in bed with him, having sleepwalked back in the middle of the night." Clarke explained with a shrug, signaling this theory was more of a guess than the last. "Did you sleepwalk into her room last night, Lexa?"

Lexa bit her lip, halfway relieved that Clarke didn't know what happened last night, but worried that the girl was treading into territory that Lexa couldn't speak much about. "Why would you ask that?"

"I just...I figured that if Anya's upset, there has to be a reason. Piggybacking on my main theory is that you sleepwalked to her last night, and then left this morning, or maybe joked about it, played it down, something to make her feel less important to you. Because you're best friends, she wouldn't be upset that you shared a bed. She'd be more likely to get upset at you leaving." Clarke added, giving Lexa some food for thought.

She and Anya had decided to sleep apart during the week, not wanting Clarke to find them entangled in the same bed and come to the wrong conclusions. That discussion had been quick, but she had noticed Anya wince once or twice, and how Anya spoke less and less as the discussion went on.

Lexa refused to believe Anya was jealous of losing time with her, but they'd shared a bed during every sleepover for years. It kept the both of them from sleepwalking most nights, and if they did, they'd return back to bed. _Maybe Anya was feeling insecure about how our nights would go with Clarke around, and the risks involved with that..._

"Well, I didn't sleepwalk to her room. Unless I did and then sleepwalked back to mine, at least. But I appreciate the effort, Clarke. For what it's worth, you did get me thinking." Lexa admitted, earning a bright smile from the blonde.

"Hey, don't worry, okay? I'm sure in a few hours, she'll be back at your side and laughing with you about something. You two will be fine." Clarke stated enthusiastically enough for Lexa to almost believe it.

Almost.

* * *

 

The trip to the grocery store had been as morose as anything Clarke had experienced in the past few years. Anya was a living thunderstorm, stomping around, arms whipping out to grab whatever she felt was needed for the week. Lexa was more composed, but she cast her big doe eyes wherever Anya went, the sheer longing so intense that she was practically emanating it. And Clarke, well, she just tried to grab some things that could work for a dinner, and maybe cheer the other two up down the line.

As soon as they'd returned from the silent drive home, Anya stormed upstairs and disappeared, leaving Clarke in the kitchen with Lexa to put away groceries. Which was fine and dandy, they hadn't bought the store out or anything, but it wasn't enough of a distraction. Lexa looked a few minutes away from breaking, and Clarke wasn't going to have that.

She'd done her digging that afternoon, she'd learned Lexa was willing to lie about what was happening, and it definitely had to do with Anya. It was time she got the other side of the story.

"You say her moods go on like this for a week?" Clarke asked once everything had been put away. Lexa must have expected some questions, because her friend merely nodded. "Well, that's bull. This is hurting you, and she's hurting, too, so no. I'm fixing this."

"Clarke, you can't fix everything. Sometimes you have to let people deal with their own problems." Lexa asserted a little testily.

"Maybe I can't fix everything, but I'm going to fix _this_." Clarke insisted before marching off upstairs with her backpack in hand.

She made a beeline for Anya's guest room and didn't bother knocking, even if she did soften her steps. The girl was face-down on her bed, hands gripping the pillow her face was halfway buried in. Clarke wondered for a moment where to set up, but quickly found herself heading to the bed side nearest Anya, sitting down with her back against the bed and her side to the night table.

"I was going to give you this today. I couldn't find you." Clarke noted quietly as she pulled the bag of skittles out of her backpack, the assortment of sticky notes still attached to it. She reached over her shoulder and placed it on the bed. She didn't expect Anya to respond yet, and the girl didn't surprise her.

"I know you're upset. I know you must have your reasons. You deserve to have the time to process, we all get that...but Lexa loves you, Anya. And I'd really like to continue our friendship. So if you can't talk to her, then...please talk to me. It can stay between us, I just...I just need to be able to come back with something to convince Lexa that she's not going to lose you." Clarke opened, feeling a little guilty for being manipulative, but she needed to fix whatever rift had formed.

Clarke had crossed off a few possibilities, but her pet theory of some level of jealousy still hung in there. It was clear to her that Lexa adored Anya, and perhaps was in love with her. And after years of watching Lexa at school, it was more than clear that Anya felt similarly towards her best friend. So some sort of miscommunication seemed the best bet, but she had no sure-fire way of getting it out into the open, not in a way that wouldn't put her new friendships at risk.

Thankfully, her gambit paid off, with the rustling of sheets behind her. "She thinks that she'll... _ugh_..." Anya blurted out, pounding the mattress with her fist after her outburst. "Tell her to stop being dramatic."

"You can't tell her yourself?" Clarke asked, earning a quick scoff.

"You offered." Anya fired back, though the rustle of plastic met her ears. "Skittles?"

"You were upset this morning. I wanted to try and cheer you up if I could." Clarke explained, hoping her gesture of goodwill would help her newest friend feel more comfortable around her. "I figure you like Rainbow Pebbles, I've seen your stash of Lifesavers in your locker before. Thought you might like something sweet after a rough start to your day."

"Thanks." Anya noted quietly, audibly tearing the bag open. "You can come up here if you want."

Clarke allowed herself a moment or two of hesitation, wondering if it might be better to stay where she was, but she was willing to take the risk of their conversation shutting down if it mean being able to see the girl's face. Carefully, she got to her feet and laid herself out across the tiny bit of real estate between Anya and the edge of the bed, choosing closeness over the wealth of space on the other side.

If that surprised Anya, it didn't show, the two of them face to face, resting on their sides.

"You talked with Lexa?" Anya asked quietly, eyes closed as she munched on a skittle. Clarke gave a hum in the affirmative. "She actually said she's worried?"

"She misses you. She's scared of losing you, because she doesn't know what she did to upset you, and she's scared of doing it again and hurting you." Clarke explained, knowing that she had said the words, even if Lexa had agreed with them. Still, she tried one method with Lexa, and that failed. It was time for plan B. "Lexa loves you, Anya. She just wants you to be happy, you know that, right?"

Anya nodded, jaw clenching and face growing hard as a tear leaked out and slipped down to the duvet. "I do." The girl admitted, voice thick and strained.

"And I know you love her, Anya, with every fiber of your being." Clarke continued, mid-breath when Anya's eyes fluttered open and set her with a challenging stare, one Clarke refused to buckle under. "I remember when Lexa came out, you outed yourself alongside her and made a bigger noise about you being bi. You dragged the spotlight away from her at the first trace of danger. Your love is courageous, Anya. You're brave."

Anya let out a shaky breath and wiped at her eyes. "Do you have a point, Clarke?"

"I've been trying to figure out what changed between my arrival and this morning, and I could only think of two things...me intruding on you two, and Lexa's sleepwalking. Lexa told me she didn't sleepwalk to your room last night, so it has to be me getting in the way of you and Lexa. It's clear you're in love with her..." Clarke started, ignoring the scoff that could hardly distract Clarke from the way Anya winced, the way her eyes began to glimmer. "...and it's clear she's in love with you. And I didn't mean to, but I ruined a cozy week alone for you two, and I'm sorry. I can back out and give you two all the time you need...just because we're friends, doesn't mean you have to include me. I'll be okay. You two would be amazing together."

Anya stared at her for long seconds after she finished speaking, looking as if she was on the verge of breaking from whatever emotions she was dealing with along with the clear confusion etched into her features.

"Clarke...Lexa is not in love with _me_." Anya let out lowly, predictably avoiding whether she was in love with Lexa.

"You can't tell me she..."

"No, Clarke!" Anya lashed out in a growl, one she immediately appeared apologetic about. "It's...she already told me who has her heart. It's not _me_."

Clarke took in that information and digested it as she recalled her conversation with Lexa, and how quick her friend was to dismiss that Anya was jealous, romantically or otherwise.

"See, Lexa was under the impression that you weren't feeling territorial of her, that you weren't upset at the thought of me getting between you and her. She didn't say it in so many words, but I got the feeling that she thought you only liked her as a friend, and you maybe liked someone else better." Clarke elaborated, her words turning Anya all wide-eyed and wondrous.

For a moment, it looked like Anya was going to spill, but then the girl's jaw clamped shut, eyes blinking any wetness away. "It's complicated."

Clarke considered whether to keep pushing, but even if both girls were short on details, she had enough to put a plan in motion. If they were hoping to use her to make the other jealous, then maybe she'd play along if it'd get things out into the open. All she had to do was wait for opportunity to strike. Until then, she'd let the chips fall.

"Well, whatever's up, I'd really like for the three of us to spend some time together tonight, if you're up for it." Clarke noted softly, taking a good long look at Anya's face. The girl wasn't as exhausted as Lexa, but she was definitely tired as hell. "Look, why don't you think about it, okay? In the meantime, it's been a long day. I was thinking of taking a nap...is here okay, or do you want me to head back to my room?"

Again, brown eyes grew wide as Anya hesitated, mouth gaping for a few moments. "I...you're fine here. You can nap here, if you like. Do you need a blanket?"

"It's a little chilly, but you give off enough body heat. If you stay close, I should be fine. Unless you want a blanket?" Clarke asked, knowing she was playing a little fast and loose, but she needed to put her plan into action.

Anya's hands shook as she sat up and pulled the blanket at the end of the bed up and over the both of them, cheeks growing redder by the moment as Anya shuffled closer. "If...if you want to you can sleep up beside me. If it'll keep you warm."

Clarke offered the girl a smile, fueled by the warmth of the gesture alone. "You're sweet, Anya. Thanks." She said as she curled up against the other blonde, resting her head on Anya's shoulder and gently resting an arm across the girl's waist.

If the look of sheer relief wasn't enough to clue Clarke in that she was on the way to fixing this, then the swiftness that Anya fell asleep would suffice, the girl flaming out in mere seconds.

Clarke took a moment to brush a lock of hair from Anya's face before settling in and basking in the other girl's warmth, happy to have hopefully gotten Anya out of her stormy mood and into a sunnier one.

She set her phone alarm for ninety minutes from then and closed her eyes, drifting off as she felt Anya's arm hold her closer.

* * *

 

Anya sat in bed, propped up by her pillows as she held up the near-empty bag of skittles, flicking through the series of sticky notes pressed atop each other. Clarke may be intrusive and stubborn, but the girl's tenacity in making things right between the three of them was endearing.

The tiny little cartoons, mostly cereal characters making puns, or pun-based compliments, was weirdly touching. Usually when she got angry, people kept distance, and let her stay at a distance. Clarke had charged in, offered her a gift in hopes of brightening her day, talked with her about her troubles, and napped with her.

It'd all been such a change of pace that Anya hadn't really had time to adjust or find her footing, but in the end, she was happy that she hadn't had time to put her walls back up. The nap with Clarke had been heavenly, and just what she'd needed to feel reassured that Clarke wouldn't be dating Lexa any time soon.

They had, after all, made a promise. Anya didn't think it was selfish that both of their sacrifices remained intact.

With that out of the way, and with Clarke's actions after coming home, it was clear that the girl was just affectionate, something she didn't get to see often at school given most of Clarke's usual circle of friends went to Ark High across town. The blonde usually spent much of her free time at school in the art room working on projects, and would eat lunch under one of the trees in the warmer months. It didn't give Anya a lot of insight into how the girl behaved around friends.

Hell, she never thought she'd get the chance to be her friend. And honestly, the thought of being friends had been scary, but if it included the kind of experiences she'd had with Clarke since yesterday evening, she could hardly have regrets.

Anya stopped on a sticky note drawing of Tony the Tiger telling her that she was _'grrrrrreat!',_ unable to keep from smiling at the cheesiness. The girl had a flair for the dramatic, but Anya had always enjoyed her creativity. Between her art and the theater performances, Clarke had always been radiant.

She couldn't blame Lexa for embracing that when given the chance.

With a head full of fresh perspectives and a full heart, Anya got off her bed and made her way downstairs. She could hear music playing in the kitchen, and stopped for a brief moment to watch Clarke dance as she cooked dinner, entirely wrapped up in the song and her dinner duties.

Anya scanned the area and found Lexa lounging in the loveseat. She would have thought Lexa asleep if not for the subtle mouthing of the music's lyrics. "Lexa?" She asked, startling her best friend and bringing that mesmeric viridian gaze upon her. Apparently Clarke hadn't talked to Lexa at all, the girl looking just as sad and worried as she had been when they returned to the house. "Can we talk?"

Lexa nodded silently as she got to her feet, reaching out to take Anya's hand before stilling an inch or two away. Just the thought that Lexa wasn't sure if she could take her hand had Anya's heart aching, not having wanted to cause that much pain or doubt.

She closed the distance and took Lexa's hand in a firm grip, leading her out into the backyard and to the porch steps. Anya guided the both of them down onto them, but kept hold of Lexa's hand as seconds passed, just trying to figure out what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry for this morning...and today." She started, clawing for words and finding little to work with. It was funny; she could write just about anything, but ask her to speak, and her vocabulary and coherence went to hell. That usually meant having to show Lexa how she felt, which was always dangerous. After today, after her talk with Clarke, Anya found she didn't mind the risk. "I was scared. I wasn't angry at you, I was scared." Anya continued, lifting a hand to Lexa's cheek, brushing her thumb across it.

The sensation of Lexa subtly leaning into her touch was lovely as always. The sensation of Lexa pulling her into a hug had her heart blooming with hope that they'd be alright. "You don't have to be scared with me, Anya. I love you."

Every time Lexa spoke those three words, it was like being simultaneously stabbed in the heart and healed by the sincerity of the words. Anya had no doubt Lexa loved her. Just not the same way Anya loved Lexa. She couldn't blame her best friend for that, and she wouldn't keep taking her fear at her greater situation out on anyone else. Not when it'd hurt Lexa and Clarke.

"I love you, too. I'll do everything I can not to get upset again." Anya promised, feeling a distinct sense of loss when Lexa pulled away.

Thankfully, her best friend only did so enough to press their foreheads together. "I know it was because of our promise. You don't have to worry, nothing's changing. We can all be friends. I don't want any more than that."

Anya swallowed hard, facing down that bitter truth yet again, but she would for Lexa. Even if she'd always want more, being Lexa's best friend was everything to her. And she desperately wanted to be Clarke's friend, too. Even if she wanted more, she couldn't have it, and she could find more than happiness with friendship. Clarke had shown her as much earlier.

"Yeah, that sounds great to me, too." Anya agreed, giving Lexa's hand a squeeze. "Can we watch Brooklyn Nine Nine tonight?"

Lexa just pulled her back into a hug, lips pressing against her temple and lingering there in that same glorious way they always did. "Of course, Anya. That sounds great."

Honestly, a night of good comedy and Lexa's company was more than enough to put her to bed with a smile on her face.

* * *

 

Lexa had to admit that Clarke was a damn decent cook. The girl hadn't chosen the most high end base to work with, a pork loin, but Clarke had managed to bring out incredible flavour with it, and it was so tender, and the mashed potatoes were arguably the best she'd had, and the greens were wholly complementary. Simple meal, but stellar. She'd eaten so much that when dessert came around, Lexa just didn't have any room left, which was a rarity.

She, Gustus, and Anya had just finished the dishes, and after the hellishly exhausting day and the wonderful meal, she was content to collapse on the couch. Gustus had gone to the garage to tinker away on his old Firebird again, and Anya had gone upstairs to get something.

Of course, as soon as she'd collapsed in the living room, Clarke had swept back into the kitchen, which was entirely suspicious, but Lexa just didn't have the energy to be too curious as to what the blonde was up to.

Anya gave Clarke a thoughtful glance on her way back, but more or less made a beeline for the living room, lifting Lexa's head for a moment before settling into that corner of the couch, and placing a pillow on her lap. With a happy sigh, Lexa curled up with Anya, resting her head on the pillow and stretching out as Anya turned on the television and put on her favourite show.

It wasn't long before Anya's hand was alternating between giving her a scalp massage and running through her hair; her best friend always knew how to help her relax after a hard day, and there really was no substitute for curling up with Anya and getting head scratches.

Lexa wasn't sure when she was drawn out of her blissful state, but the sun had finished setting, and the smell of chocolate was in the air. With Anya's soft laughter added to the mix, and gentle hands running through her hair, Lexa couldn't help but feel delightfully warm.

She was just starting to drift off again when the sound of footsteps caught Anya's attention, the hand in her hair stilling for a moment. "Clarke, you didn't have to do that." Anya noted softly, though by Clarke's huff, the other blonde didn't agree, whatever it was.

Lexa got a clearer view a second later when Clarke set down two of her favourite big, wide mugs she usually used for soup. This time, though, they were filled with hot chocolate and tiny rainbow-coloured marshmallows. She moved to sit up alongside Anya, not wanting to waste the kind offering by letting it grow cold. "Thank you, Clarke. You have some for yourself, too, right?"

Clarke lifted up a large thermos and grinned. "I'm heading up to work on an art project. You two have fun." The blonde answered, shooting them a wink before turning and heading out of view and upstairs.

"What's that about?" Lexa asked, not quite certain why Clarke wasn't lounging out with them. Their friendship was new, and Clarke seemed enthusiastic about it; there was plenty of time to work on her art.

"Apparently, she thinks it'd be good for us to have some one-on-one after today." Anya mused as she brought her mug to her lips, letting out a happy hum at her drink. "Can we keep her? This is _incredible_."

It wasn't often Anya let her exuberant and joyful side out to play, and just getting a glimmer of it was enough for Lexa to lean over, pressing a kiss to Anya's cheek, far enough from her lips to be friendly, even if Lexa wanted nothing more than to taste Anya's kiss.  It couldn't be, though; Anya loved Clarke, so she never stood a chance.

Still, Anya got wonderfully red whenever they'd get affectionate, and Lexa felt that was enough, just knowing Anya was happy and comfortable and felt loved.

Lexa reached out and took hold of her own mug, taking a tiny sip with how hot it still seemed to be. The immediate rush of flavour caught her off guard, eyes widening as she met Anya's gaze. "Oh my god."

"I know." Anya noted in return, taking another sip. "She's going to be the death of us, isn't she?"

"Absolutely. Not a doubt in my mind." Lexa agreed, relishing in her drink as she settled back into Anya's side, leaning her head against her best friend's shoulder. "But what a way to go."

Anya laughed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Come on, let's just enjoy the night. We can thank Clarke when we head to bed." The girl said, taking a longer gulp from the hot chocolate.

Lexa pulled a blanket down from the back of the couch and covered the both of them before snuggling closer. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how..."

"Ten. Stephanie Beatriz is always a ten." Anya interrupted, lips spreading into one of her brilliant smiles. If Lexa wasn't already leaning up against Anya, she would have swooned. Thankfully, Anya's focus turned to the television, letting Lexa's blushing go unnoticed.

Maybe one day, far down the line, when Clarke was with someone and if she and Anya were both single, maybe she'd confess. Maybe she'd see if they could work, if Anya would even want to.

For now, she'd enjoy a pleasant night with her best friend, thrilled that Anya had come back to her and that they'd settled things out.

They had four more schooldays and a weekend before their parents would get back. She wanted to enjoy every second of it possible.

* * *

 

Clarke was woken up by the creak of her door, the alarm clock reading just past two when she glanced over at it. Honestly, she thought it'd take a few days to set the next part of her plan in place, but another sleepwalking event might just fast-track her agenda. Quickly as she could, Clarke grabbed her phone and set her alarm for an hour early before placing it back on her night table.

She watched Anya approach again, steps uneven as the girl frowned in confusion. Just like the night before, Anya slipped under the covers and settled up on the other side of the bed. This time, Clarke shuffled over on her own accord, taking up the middle portion, her proximity prompting Anya to come closer and curl up with her.

Clarke rested there for a few minutes, holding Anya close and running a hand through her hair, waiting to see if she'd be followed. Thankfully, about ten minutes after she'd woken up, Clarke heard footsteps in the hallway again.

She waited patiently for Lexa to appear in her doorway as Anya gently nuzzled her cheek. At the very least, after this morning, Anya would have someone special to be with. Perhaps not her, but Clarke could hardly prioritize herself when there was such a good love story ready to unfold.

Just like the previous night, Lexa made her way into the room slowly, pausing at the foot of the bed before getting in on the vacant side. Clarke waited, listening to the shuffling, letting out a happy hum when Lexa's arms slipped around her waist.

Clarke settled in for a comfortable sleep, knowing they'd have plenty of time in the morning to figure things out.

* * *

 

Anya woke to a blaring alarm, and she would have startled if she was physically able to. Instead, she found herself entirely wrapped up, warm, and with nowhere to go, halfway smothered in soft skin. It took a few seconds to realize her face was pressed into Clarke's neck, soft blonde waves tickling at her nose and cheeks as she leaned away.

And in that movement, she caught a frowning, bleary-eyed Lexa and an entirely amused Clarke Griffin.

"Morning, sleepyheads." Clarke sang, prompting Anya to press her face into Clarke's neck again, not ready to wake up of face the embarrassment of having inadvertently gone to the other blonde in the middle of the night. "Nope, you're staying put, Lexa." Clarke added after some slight shuffling.

"Clarke, I hope we didn't make you uncomfortable. We didn't mean..." Lexa started, but for whatever reason, Clarke found their situation funny enough to laugh at.

"I'm actually happy you're here, the both of you are really comfy, and it makes this easier." Clarke interjected, letting out another laugh before settling down a bit. "See, I get the feeling like I'm being used as a bit of a shield. And I'd really like for you two to just get it out in the open."

Anya felt her body tense, because even half-asleep, she could put the pieces together on what Clarke was getting at. "It's not what you think."

"Well, let's see about that, then. Because to me, it seems like there's two girls who are in love with each other but are too scared to admit it to the other." Clarke continued as she flopped onto her back, leaving Anya and Lexa face to face. She watched the utter fear in Lexa's eyes as her best friend stared wide-eyed at Clarke.

It was strange, though, that when Lexa looked at her, those big beautiful eyes softened, confusion slowly making way for wonder. "Anya? Is she..."

Lexa's voice trailed off, leaving Anya to posture up, moving to get out of bed. Surprisingly enough, it was Lexa who lunged halfway over Clarke to keep her there.

Anya turned her head to face the other blonde. "It went without saying that you weren't supposed to tell her, Clarke! I told you how she felt!"

She wanted a hole to open up beneath her and take her to another plan of existence, because Anya wasn't sure she'd ever felt so humiliated.

"You told me she likes me, but _you're_ the one she looks at like you're the only person in the world. Of course Lexa's in love with you." Clarke let out in exasperation.

Anya felt like vomiting, but only let out a scoff instead. She didn't expect the sound to make Lexa recoil like she'd been slapped, or for Lexa to quickly shift across Clarke's body and tackle Anya onto the mattress.

There was a fire burning in Lexa's eyes, her jaw quivering as she stared down at Anya. "I _am_ in love with you. Of course I am...how could I not be?" Lexa whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek and falling onto Anya's neck. "You love me too?"

Anya didn't have the words to describe everything she felt for Lexa, but she didn't need to. She reached up, pulled Lexa down by her tee, and captured her best friend's lips in a kiss, putting every single bit of longing and passion into it, every shred of lightness that Lexa fostered inside of her, every trace of love her heart had bloomed from because of her.

Lexa was shaking atop her, all hitched breathing and quivering hands fumbling for purchase, so maybe she wrapped Lexa up and held her, pressing her lips to the girl's cheek and temple, kissing away her tears.

Maybe Clarke thought she could slip away all silent, too. Anya put a stop to that, reaching out a hand and gripping the material of Clarke's tank top.

Anya didn't have to look at Clarke to know the girl was rolling her eyes, though she did allow herself a glimpse to confirm it. "You two are together now, you're not hiding behind me as an excuse anymore. I can go make breakfast."

"You can stay right there and rest. You were never an excuse, Clarke." Anya stated, knowing she was going to break the promise she made to Lexa, but having her best friend in her arms would dull any of the pain or trouble that secret could cause.

Thankfully, Lexa seemed to be on the same wavelength. "It was never an excuse. Once upon a time, I did tell Anya how I felt for you. Just like _she_ told _me_ how she felt for you."

Clarke turned over on her side to face the duo, brow furrowed and narrowing eyes. "Wait...let me get this straight..." Clarke let out lowly as she shifted closer inch by inch. "Lexa, you said you liked me, and hid your love of Anya. Anya, you said you liked me, and hid your love for Lexa. Yet...neither one of you ever asked me out."

Anya let her head fall back onto the pillow. "We didn't want to hurt each other, so we decided you were off limits for dating."

"I can't believe you two!" Clarke blurted out, startling Anya and Lexa alike, both sets of eyes completely on Clarke and the girl's confused anger. "Two girls as smart and creative as you, and you can't think of the blatant way for everything to work out?"

Above her, Lexa blinked, swallowing twice. "I don't follow."

"You two learned you both like me. You both love each other, and refuse to hurt each other by one of you asking me out. And you couldn't be so out of it that you couldn't think that maybe there was a chance you two could date, either, even if it might have been scary to think your friendship could be at risk." Clarke explained, letting out a heavy sigh. "But clearly, you two adore each other. And that means you both could have asked me out if you wanted to date me so badly."

Lexa sat up immediately, head cocked in question at she looked down at Clarke. "The...three of us?"

Anya fought to fill her lungs with enough oxygen to speak a fraction of the words storming through her brain. "That's an _option_?"

"Are we living in Victorian England? _Pretty sure_ poly relationships are a thing. But you two just got together. I'm not pushing, I'm actually really happy for you." Clarke insisted, but Lexa was already clambering off of her and towards the other blonde.

Anya followed suit, curling up beside Clarke while Lexa crossed back over and curled up opposite from her. "Clarke, I have an important question." Lexa started, the backs of her fingers feathering against Clarke's cheek.

"Mmmh. Terribly important, so we need you to be honest with us." Anya added as she rubbed a hand up and down Clarke's shoulder.

Clarke's face was beet red, even if she did seem like she was on the verge of a giggle fit. "O-okay. I can do that."

"Will you be our girlfriend?" Lexa asked with a bright smile.

Anya shot the other blonde her own. "Yes, will you be our girlfriend?"

While she wasn't a hundred percent certain how Clarke would react, Clarke pulling a pillow over her own face and groaning into it wasn't anything she'd predicted. "Uuuugh, it's too early to tease me like that!" Clarke moaned before letting it loosely rest on her face. "Seriously, why couldn't you let me leave in peace?"

It was early, a little too early for complex thought, so maybe Anya needed a few seconds to understand what Clarke was on about. And maybe Lexa was just as confused as she was. Hell, they'd been pretty clear.

 _I guess I'll have to be clearer..._ She mused to herself as she pulled the pillow away, lightly thwapping Clarke in the face before tossing it off the bed.

"Because we had an important question, and we haven't had our good morning kiss yet." Anya answered plainly, looking down expectantly at the other blonde, maybe with a bit of a pout on her lips. Perhaps it was a bit selfish, but she'd had the luxury of kissing Lexa, already making today the best morning ever. Being able to kiss Clarke, being able to start a three-way relationship between them all, that was the stuff of legends.

"Yes, Clarke. It's customary to kiss your girlfriends when you wake up together." Lexa added with a grin as she leaned closer.

"Especially when there's so much time before we have to get up. We should spend it _together_." Anya agreed as she crawled up to hover up by the other girl's head. She brought a hand over, fingertips tilting Clarke's head to align with hers as she cocked a questioning eyebrow.

The unspoken question was answered quickly, if hazily, with Clarke offering a quick nod as her eyes glistened. Anya's lips descended onto Clarke's, pillowing her lower lip as she brought her hand up to stroke her cheek and wipe her tears away, but it was hard to focus when Clarke was kissing back. The other blonde quickly had a hand running through her hair and another trailing up and down her side, and to Anya, it felt like she was in heaven.

It was only that euphoria that had her pulling away and looking to Lexa, using her hand to tilt Clarke towards their girlfriend who had been patiently waiting.

Anya had expected to feel a bit of jealousy, given she'd always thought she was wired for intensely committed monogamy, but all she felt was adoration for the other two girls as she watched them kiss. Honestly, it all felt like a dream come true.

With plenty of days until their parents returned, Anya knew that whatever they were starting, it wouldn't fall apart while they were close, while they were together. The end of the semester still had her anxious as anything, not wanting to be apart from either of them, but they'd deal with that later. By now, they'd have early admissions, or if not, acceptance letters would be arriving soon. That concern would be dealt with soon enough.

When Lexa and Clarke pulled apart and pulled her in, Lexa tossing the duvet back over them, Anya felt that maybe all those years she spent longing for Lexa and Clarke would fade into history, replaced by years alongside them, celebrating milestones together, growing together, maybe even starting a family.

All it took was a glance in green and blue eyes to see the promise there for all of them, the joy sparkling in their irises, the utter relief flooding each of them.

Anya let herself be pulled into a tangle of limbs as they cuddled and wrapped around each other, leaving her unsure where one began and the others ended.

She smiled and relaxed into her girlfriends, thinking maybe that was the point.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't entirely satisfied with this one, but I decided to push it out, since wasting 12k words would be a shame. I hope you all enjoyed!  
> Thanks for reading :D


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